Parent's Corner
Welcome Parents and Families!
Bucks County Montessori Charter School is a member of the The Keystone Alliance for Public Charter Schools; a group of high-quality, accountable public brick and mortar charter schools in Pennsylvania committed to awareness of their positive contributions and to correct the misinformation espoused by those who oppose school choice. The Alliance believes "the money follows the child" should determine how public schools are funded in the Commonwealth. There is no need for fancy calculation or complicated formula. If the local school district spends $12,000 per child to help educate then in a traditional school, then the charter school should receive the same to educate that same child should they attend. The Alliance also believes that there is a glaring need for a much more robust collection and nonpartisan analysis of data on the performance of brick and mortar charter schools, including academic benchmark, graduation rates and college acceptance and matriculation data. With accurate, unbiased data public brick and mortar charter schools in Pennsylvania will be better position to tell their story to their stakeholders.
There are several ways for parents to get involved with helping your child's charter school. Public Charter Schools in Pennsylvania, more than ever, need the help of their student's parents to send a clear message to legislators and opponents of school choice that charter schools are providing thousands of students across the commonwealth the opportunity for a better education. To get involved and to subscribe for updates, please check out the Keystone Alliance for Public Charter Schools web site.
In the emerging landscape of education reform, the Center for Education Reform is another leading voice for structural and sustainable changes that can dramatically improve educational opportunities for decades to come. Their guiding purpose is to improve the accuracy and quality of discourse and decisions about education reform, leading to fundamental policy changes that make a difference long after news and election cycles have ended. As part of their core mission, the Center works on three primary fronts: Generating and sharing leading ideas and information, supporting and enabling grassroots activism and protecting and stimulating media coverage and issue accuracy. For more information, please check the Center for Education Reform Web Site.
You are very important to us and to your child’s development. Once the students leave the classroom, it is you who continues to help encourage and support the child in the learning process. Children at Bucks County Montessori Charter School can only achieve the success they deserve with the help of concerned and dedicated family support.
The Montessori approach to learning is an educational philosophy that may seem foreign to parents as it differs from traditional educational models. Whether your child is already enrolled in a Montessori school or you are trying to determine if a Montessori education is right for your child, there are many wonderful resources available to help parents learn about a Montessori education.
PARENT NEWSLETTERS
Montessori and the Myth of Low Student Teacher Ratios
Rhombus, Reni form and Rembrandt
Seed Corn: Five seeds planted now change what comes later.
What – No Briefcase? Montessori and Paperwork
What’s the Big Deal about Table Washing?
Montessori's Approach to Homework:
WHITE PAPERS
Why Montessori Education: Sometimes, it is easier to relate the differences between traditional forms of education and that of Montessori pedagogy when the two ideologies are placed in a side by side comparison. (Brian P. Long)
YOU TUBE VIDEO PRESENTATIONS
Introduction to Montessori and the Montessori Foundation This is a short video produced as part of the National Education Report to briefly introduce Montessori education and the work of the Montessori Foundation.
"Montessori Madness" : Trevor Eissler's -321 Fast Draw You Tube Presentation regarding the value of a Montessori Education.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
American Montessori Society - Whether you’re an educator, parent, or simply a lifelong learner, you’re invited to join the American Montessori Society (AMS) – Membership with this vital, vibrant community of Montessorians puts you at the forefront of the global Montessori Movement.
North American Montessori Teachers Association: NAMTA documents Montessori in the public schools, helps teachers and administrators become more effective, furthers the advancement of Montessori concepts into mainstream education, and helps parents extend the Montessori environment into their homes.
The Montessori Method This book is Montessori's own exposition of the theory behind her innovative educational techniques. She shows parents, teachers and administrators how to "free a child to learn through his own efforts".
Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook A short, illustrated guide to the use of Montessori classroom materials. Describes how to set up a "children's house" - an environment for learning where children can be their own masters.
Maria Montessori – Her Life & Work Important background reading for parents considering Montessori education for their children, as well as for those training to become Montessori Educators.
The Absorbent Mind In response to the crisis in American education, more than five thousand public and private schools across the nation have adopted the timeless Montessori Method of teaching, of which this book is the cornerstone. The Absorbent Mind takes its title from the phrase that the inspired Italian doctor coined to characterize the child's most crucial developmental stage: the first six years.
Secret of Childhood Maria Montessori describes the child with warmth and the exactness of a scientist. She also discusses the array of materials and techniques needed to release his learning potential.
Discovery of the Child Maria Montessori went beyond the conventions of the day to seek a new way of knowing and loving a child. In THE DISCOVERY OF THE CHILD, she describes the nature of the child and her method of working more fully with the child's urge to learn.
Montessori – A Modern Approach A Modern Approach has been called the single best book for anyone -- educator, childcare professional, and especially parent -- seeking answers to the questions: What is the Montessori method?
Montessori in the Classroom This fascinating day-by-day record of a year in the life of a Montessori classroom answers the question of What Happens in a Montessori Classroom, by providing an illuminating glimpse of the Montessori method in action. A teacher’s account of how children really learn.
The Education of Human Potential This book is part theory, part history, covering the psychology of the elementary-aged child, the history of life on Earth, and some highlights and principles of the development of civilization.